Given the choice: Everything before Achtung or everything after Achtung?

[namkcuR]

Aside from being arguably the album of their career, Achtung Baby seems like a defining pivot point in U2's career. A line for which you can say, there's everything before, and everything after. My question in this thread is this: If you had to pick, would you rather have everything before Achtung, or everything after Achtung(where neither group includes Achtung)?

Boy
October
War
The Unforgettable Fire
The Joshua Tree
Rattle And Hum
+all b-sides and remixes associated with the above albums
+11 O'Clock Tick Tock, Another Day, A Celebration and associated b-sides and remixes

or

Zooropa
Passengers
Pop
All That You Can't Leave Behind
How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb
Unreleased And Rare
No Line On The Horizon
+all b-sides and remixes associated with the above albums
+Hold Me Thrill Me Kiss Me Kill Me, In The Name Of The Father, Billy Boola, Million Dollar Hotel tracks(The Ground Beneath Her Feet, Stateless, etc), Electrical Storm, The Hands That Built America, The Saints Are Coming, Window In The Skies, Soon

 

[Sicy]

I'm old, so before.

 

[BAW]

Before!

 

[HCL]

After, for sure.

 

[mobvok]

If you could toss AB onto the 90s/00s ledger I'd have to think more deeply about this, but as-is the 80s output is far deeper and satisfying. You gotta do some surgery to pick out the persuasive 90s/00s songs, and the best moments on Zooropa and Pop are "merely" B+ efforts.

 

[Sicy]

This will actually be interesting. I am betting the newer (younger) fans generally will pick after while the older fans will pick before.

 

[bono_man2002]

After Achtung, because everything before is overated.

 

[HCL]

Y'know, the 80's have TJT, R&H and TUF, which are amazing, but they also have the Boctobar trilogy, which I could live without despite being good albums (I say that I could live without it comparing them to their later output).
However, my top 6 U2 songs are post AB and I believe that all albuns from this period are perfect or are very near that. (Yes, even ATYCLB and HTDAAB.)

 

[indra]

Before.

I have to admit pre-Achtung Baby material is for the most part all I like from them, so it was a very easy decision.

 

[mobvok]

Boctobar

This will actually be interesting. I am betting the newer (younger) fans generally will pick after while the older fans will pick before.

That's funny, I thought that too when I saw the thread, but I think I'd throw myself into the newer/younger fan pile too (2004 thereabouts) (okshutupthebandsintheirfifties) and I ended up picking the pre AB material. If we were comparing the 80s w/out Joshua Tree to the 90s/00s w/out AB I think it'd get pretty interesting.

 

[Sicy]

See Joshua Tree and UF are probably tops for me because that's what 'got me' into U2. It's something I cant ever let go of, as overrated or overplayed as the songs are.

 

[coolian2]

probably before, but it's a close run thing.

 

[trevgreg]

well

I had to actually think about it for awhile, but I guess I'll do the "newer" fan and go after. While I think a lot of songs from "before" are the tops, the other side I think is more consistent with both what I grew up on (i.e., memories and stuff that got me into the band), and would be something I'd listen to quite a bit more.

I'd probably listen to the likes of Pop more than the first 3 albums together as well, if that tells you anything.

 

[silkensky]

Tough call, but I'd choose before, which for me is mostly because of the UF era.

 

[Streets613]

The sublte intracacies and incredible songwriting or ATYCLB, HTDAAB, and NLOTH too often go unnoticed an unappreciated. Boy + October + War < ATYCLB + HTDAAB + NLOTH. (Joshua Tree = Achtung Baby.) It's really not even close. Those early albums were based on one or two incredible songs surrounded by average ones. You don't want to give up War because of SUS and NYD. You don't want to give up ATYCLB because of Beautiful Day, Walk On, SIAMYCGOO, IALW, and POE. You don't want to give up Boy because of Electric Co. and Out Of Control. You don't want to give up NLOTH because of MOS, Magnificent, UC, NLOTH, and COL.

I'm pretty sure that the band would agree with me, too.
"As songs together as an album, HTDAAB is our best work."

Or something like that ^^

 

[Streets613]

And I also have a legitimate problem with Passengers being included in this, considering that that's a band, and not a U2 album.

 

[the tourist]

Before, by a country mile.

 

[mad1]

while I agree Achtung was thee major turning point, I have to go with after!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Bonehead]

Before or after???

I chose AB!

 

[bono_212]

B-4

 

[Galeongirl]

Uhm, can I pick a little differently? I'd like UF through Pop please. Cause i'd say after, but that includes ATYCLB and HTDAAB. Which I don't really care for. And I can't live without Streets. But then again, to only pick before for one song is pretty meh!

 

[Mauwer]

Easy for me too , before

Cheers ,

Mauwer

 

[Yahweh_OMG]

Achtung Baby is clearly the best album for me......

But I'll go without a doubt for BEFORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

After has good stuff as well, sometimes great stuff, but before is

 

[blueeyedgirl]

BC. Not AD.

 

[coolian2]

And I also have a legitimate problem with Passengers being included in this, considering that that's a band, and not a U2 album.

this again?

 

[ElectricalVoice]

After, and I'm old.

 

[coolian2]

I'd like UF through Pop please.

actually i'll change my answer to this.

 

[mikal]

after for sure. i love Zooropa, Passengers and Pop way too much to ever give them up.

 

[digitize]

After, mainly for Pop and No Line.

 

[GirlsAloudFan]

After, for me.